List of coupled siblings
This article lists well-known individuals who had romantic or marital ties with their sibling at any point in history. It does not include coupled siblings in works of fiction, although those from mythology and religion are included.
Terminology
There are many terms used to describe a romantic bond between siblings, including formal nomenclature such as adelphogamy, specific hyponyms such twincest, or slang terms like sibcest. In a heterosexual context, a female partner in such a relationship may be referred as a sister-wife. A similar incestuous arrangement which is non-monogamous can be referred as sister-swapping or brother-swapping, although this should not be confused with berdel, which describes the situation in which families exchange brides or bridegrooms.History
Earliest sibling marriages can be traced back to creation myths of early civilizations in Egypt and West Asia. Partly impacted by their creation myths, royal brother-sister marriages were historically practiced among royalty in Ancient Egypt, particularly the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Dynasties, and Ptolemaic Egypt. Sibling marriages were also found in the pre-Columbian Inca Empire of Peru, in pre-colonial Hawaiʻi, sporadically throughout Eurasia, particularly the Achaemenid Empire and the Hellenistic reigns, and in various other places.While cousin marriage is legal in most countries today, and avunculate marriage is legal in several, sexual relations between siblings are considered impermissibly incestuous almost universally. Sibling marriage is legally prohibited in most countries worldwide, with a partial exception being Sweden, where marriages between half-siblings are legally permitted.
Innate sexual aversion between siblings forms due to close association in childhood, in what is known as the Westermarck effect. Children who grow up together do not normally develop sexual attraction, even if they are unrelated, and conversely, siblings who were separated at a young age may develop sexual attraction. Thus, many cases of sibling incest, including accidental incest, concern siblings who were separated at birth or at a very young age.
List of coupled siblings
Religion, mythology, and legend
- Nüwa and her full brother Fuxi, in Chinese mythology
- Mashya and Mashyana in Zoroastrian mythology
- King Arthur and his half-sister Morgause
In Egyptian mythology
- Nut and her full brother Geb
- Shu and his full sister Tefnut
- Osiris and his full sister Isis
- Set and his full sister Nephthys
In Abrahamic religions
- Abraham and his half-sister Sarah
- Luluwa and her full brother Abel.
- Awan and her full brother Cain
- Azura and her full brother Seth.
In Japanese mythology
- Izanami and her twin brother Izanagi
- Amaterasu and her full brother Tsukuyomi
In Greek mythology
- Cronus and his full sister Rhea
- Phoebe and her full brother Coeus
- Hyperion and his full sister Theia
- Oceanus and his full sister Tethys
- Ceto and her full brother Phorcys
- Nyx and her full brother Erebus
- Zeus and his full sisters Hera and Demeter
- Demeter and her full brothers Zeus and Poseidon
- Aphrodite and her half-brothers Ares, Hephaestus, Hermes, and Dionysus
- Macareus and his full sister Canace
- Heracles and his half-sister Hebe
Monarchs
In ancient Egypt
- Smenkhkare and his half-sister Meritaten
- Djet and his full sister Merneith
- Merneptah and his full sister Isetnofret II
- Menkaure and his full sister Khamerernebty II
- Seti II and his half-sister Twosret
- Ahmose I and his full sister Ahmose-Nefertari and his half-sister Ahmose-Henuttamehu
- Seqenenre Tao and his full sisters Ahhotep I and Sitdjehuti and his half-sister Ahmose Inhapy
- Amenhotep I and his full sister Ahmose-Meritamun
- Thutmose I and his half-sister Ahmose
- Thutmose II and his half-sister Hatshepsut
- Akhenaten and an unnamed sister
- Tutankhamun and his half-sister Ankhesenamun
- Djoser and his half-sister Hetephernebti
- Djedefre and his full sister Hetepheres II, who was previously married to her half-brother Kawab
- Pepi II Neferkare and his half-sisters Iput II and Ankhesenpepi III
- Intef III and his half-sister Iah
- Mentuhotep II and his full sister Neferu II
- Senusret I and his half-sister Neferu III
- Senusret II and his sisters Khenemetneferhedjet I, Nofret II, Itaweret, and Khenmet
- Nubkhaes and her half-brother Sobekemsaf
- Ramesses III and his half-sister Tyti
- Ramesses IV and his half-sister Duatentopet
- Psusennes I and his full sister Mutnedjmet
- Pinedjem II and his full sister Isetemkheb D
- Takelot II and his half-sister Karomama II
- Alara of Kush and his half-sister Kasaqa
- Kashta and his full sister Pebatjma
- Tantamani and his full sisters Piankharty and Setemkheb H
- Apries and his full sister Ankhnesneferibre
- Piye and his half-sisters Peksater and Khensa
- Shebitku and his half-sister Arty
In other Near Eastern royal houses
- Amoashtart and her brother Tabnit
- Artemisia II of Caria and her full brother Mausolus
- Ada of Caria and her full brother Idrieus
- Arsinoe II and her full brother Ptolemy II Philadelphus and half-brother Ptolemy Ceraunus
- Erato of Armenia and her half-brother Tigranes IV
- Boran and her full brother Kavad II
- Darius II and his half-sister, Parysatis
- Artaxerxes II and his full sister Amestris
- Cambyses II and two of his sisters, Atossa and Roxanne
- Mithridates IV of Pontus and his full sister Laodice
- Mithridates VI Eupator and his full sister Laodice
- Antiochus III of Commagene and his full sister Iotapa
- Antiochus IV of Commagene and his full sister Iotapa
- Ptolemy IV Philopator and his full sister Arsinoe III of Egypt
- Cleopatra II and her full brothers Ptolemy VI Philometor and Ptolemy VIII Physcon
- Ptolemy IX Soter and his full sisters Cleopatra IV and Cleopatra Selene, who later married her other full brother Ptolemy X Alexander I.
- Ptolemy XI Alexander II and his possible half-sister Berenice III
- Ptolemy XII Auletes and his full sister Cleopatra V
- Cleopatra VII and her full brothers Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator and Ptolemy XIV Philopator
- Laodice IV and her full brothers Antiochus, Seleucus IV Philopator, and Antiochus IV Epiphanes
- Alexander II of Epirus and his half-sister Olympias II of Epirus
In Inca Peru
- Manco Cápac and his full sister Mama Ocllo
- Sinchi Roca and his half-sister Mama Cura
- Topa Inca Yupanqui and his full sister Mama Ocllo Coya
- Sayri Túpac and his full sister Cusi Huarcay
- Cura Ocllo and her full brother Manco Inca Yupanqui
- Huayna Capac and his full sisters Kuya Kusi Rimay and Kuya Rahua Ocllo
- Huáscar and his full sister Chuqui Huipa
- Atahualpa and his half-sister Coya Asarpay
In Japan
- Emperor Nintoku and his 2 half-sisters Princess Yata and Uji no Wakiiratsume
- Prince Kinashi no Karu and his full sister Princess Karu no Ōiratsume
- Emperor Bidatsu and his half-sister Empress Suiko
- Emperor Yōmei and his half-sister Anahobe no Hashihito
- Emperor Kanmu and his half-sister Princess Sakahito
- Emperor Heizei and 3 half-sisters
- Emperor Junna and his half-sister Princess Koshi
- Emperor Saga and his half-sister Princess Takatsu
- Emperor Seiwa and his half-sister Minamoto no Seishi
- Emperor Kōkaku and his adopted sister/cousin Princess Yoshiko
In Korea
- Jeongjong of Goryeo and his half-sister
- Gwangjong of Goryeo and his half-sister Daemok
- Deokjong of Goryeo and his half-sisters Gyeongseong and Hyosa
- Munjong of Goryeo and his half-sister Inpyeong
In Burma (Myanmar)
- Nyaungyan Min of Burma and his half-sister Khin Hpone Myint
- Kyawswa of Pagan and his half-sister Mi Saw U
- Uzana I of Pinya and his half-sister Atula Maha Dhamma Dewi of Pinya
- Binnya E Law of Martaban and his half-sister Sanda Min Hla
- Anaukpetlun of Burma and his 3 half-sisters
- Mindon Min of Burma and his half-sister Setkya Dewi
- Thibaw Min of Burma and his half-sisters Supayagyi, Supayalat, and Supayalay
- Prince Myo Tu, Prince of Mekkhaya and his half-sister Pin
In other East and Southeast Asian royal houses
- Rama II of Siam and his half-sister Kunthon Thipphayawadi
- Chulalongkorn of Siam and his half-sisters Sunandha Kumariratana, Savang Vadhana, Saovabha Phongsri, Sukhumala Marasri, Daksinajar
- Sisavang Vong of Laos and his half-sisters Khamphane and Khamtouan
- Norodom Sutharot and his half-sister Norodom Phangangam, parents of Norodom Suramarit
In the Hawaiian Islands
- Kaumualii and his half-sister Kaapuwai Kapuaamohu
- Keliimaikai and his half-sister Kiilaweau
- Keōua and his half-sister Manono I
- Kalola Pupuka and her full brother Kamehamehanui Ailuau
- Lanakawai and his half-sister Kalohialiiokawai
- Laau and his full sister Kukamolimaulialoha
- Pilikaaiea and his full sister Hina-au-kekele
- Hinaauamai and her full brother Koa
- Kukohou and his half-sister Hineuki
- Kahaimoelea and his half-sister Kapoakauluhailaa
- Kalaunuiohua and his half-sister Kaheka
- Kahoukapu and his full sister Hukulani
- Keaweōpala and his half-sister Hākau
- Kauakahiakua and his full sister Kāneikapōleikauila
- Kalaninuiamamao and his half-sister Kekaulike-i-Kawekiuonalani
- Keaweīkekahialiiokamoku and his half-sister Kalanikauleleiaiwi
- Kekuiapoiwa I and her half-brother Kekaulike
- Umi-a-Liloa and his half-sister Alii Kapukini-a-Liloa
- Kukailani and his half-sister Kaohukiokalani
- Keākealanikāne and his half-sisters, Alii Kealiiokalani and Kealiiokalani
- Keākealaniwahine and her half-brother Chief Kane-i-Kauaiwilani
- Haae-a-Mahi and his half-sister Kekelakekeokalani
- Keawepoepoe and his full sister Kanoena
- Kīwalaō and his half-sister Kekuiapoiwa Liliha
- Kamehameha II and his half-sisters Kamāmalu, Kīnau, and Kekāuluohi
- Kamehameha III and his full sister Nāhiʻenaʻena